Music blared throughout the north side of Case Western Reserve University’s campus, its origin unclear. Some late sleepers with open windows were jolted awake by the sound. Some meandering students were confused by its presence.
However, much of the surrounding community was excited for Springfest 2013.
Yesterday, crowds gathered at North Residential Village (NRV) field to peruse a variety of booths, visit several inflatable rentals and congregate at the large stage in the corner of the football field. Free items were given out at random, including t-shirts, cups and stickers bearing the logos of their respective organizations.
While many students were excited for the opportunity to stash away free swag, the real center of Springfest was the music.
First on stage was CWRU student Jordan Genovese, performing acoustic country-influenced songs. Her relaxed sound was calm, catchy ,and a great way to start off the rising action of the following performers.
Next up was The New 30s, winner of Spot Night’s competitive Battle of the Bands. Their songs picked up the speed a bit with groovy saxophone riffs and a harder rock feel. This show was both exciting and interesting and featured a variety of well-known covers and original pieces.
When rapper King Chip had his turn, even distracted students flocked to the stage. King Chip’s heavy bass beats consistently shook the ground, and his audience progressively grew during the performance. This show was a little difficult to endure without a migraine, but there is no denying that King Chip knew how to please a crowd.
After King Chip’s blasting rap performance, we were not able to attend Slug Party and instead used a meal swipe to redeem dinner at the cookout nearby. We returned to the field in time for the headlining band, the pop-rock group, The Maine.
As booths were torn down and inflatables stored away, students gathered closer to the stage, with many laying down in the turf or on picnic blankets.
While waiting for the band to arrive on stage, a mix of electronic, pop and rock music entertained the soon-to-be audience. Many people played catch with frisbees and footballs, trying to kill time before the big show.
When The Maine finally did arrive, the crowd near the stage grew larger. Some students even climbed to the roof of the nearby parking garage to have a bird’s eye view of the band. The Maine’s show was well-timed and entertaining. They played many singles, joked with audience members and even signed autographs and took pictures with fans afterwards.
We got a chance to briefly speak with The Maine’s lead singer, John O’Callaghan, while fighting our way through the mob of fans surrounding him. His favorite part of the performance was the weather.”We haven’t felt a nice day like this in a while,” said O’Callaghan. He added, “Hopefully we can do it again.”
King Chip had also noticed the wonderful weather of the day, repeating the phrase “We got the Sun out in Cleveland. What!” very excitedly throughout his performance.
Altogether, Springfest seemed to be a great success. Booths received plenty of attention, and when the music slowed down during breaks, students had many fun ways to spend their time.
For the first time in a while, Cleveland’s weather cooperated with CWRU’s plans. Springfest truly finished the year off with a celebration that drew in students and the surrounding campus community.
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